Hammond’s Ferry Larder

Created by the chef who established nearby Manuel’s Bread Cafe as a beacon of stylish, casual dining, Hammond’s Ferry Larder is an even more casual destination for those in search of sandwiches, salads, interesting small plates, and dreamy fair-weather meals in the open air. With shelves of uncommon groceries and kitchen bric-a-brac for sale, it’s a happy place for anyone with an appetite for New American cuisine.

The menu is broad and eclectic, including an array of such tapas as tuna nachos, spicy feta dip, and fried pickles. There are flatbread pizzas, trios of sliders and wings by the dozen, an array of inventive cocktails, and sandwiches served with terrific freshly-cooked potato chips or sizzling pork rinds. A Larder burger, rare as requested, comes topped with fried green tomatoes, provolone, and roasted garlic aioli. Dinner specials include smoked duck breast, Tuscan shrimp pasta, and rabbit confit tacos. For dessert, how about white wine cake or oatmeal cream pie?

Saturday brunch is a felicitous time to visit, especially when weather allows sitting outside. The menu ranges from lox & bagels to “breakfast crack” (egg, avocado, Swiss & jalapeno bacon on multigrain bread). A piled-high breakfast bowl is built on Tater tots and includes bacon, eggs, caramelized onions, and a crown of Béchamel sauce. Coffee choices abound — drip, espresso, and liquor-spiked. A do-it-yourself bloody Mary bar is open from 10am to 2pm.